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The following is a summary of “Education Research: Exploring the Impact of Standardized, Condition-Specific Note Templates on Quality Metrics and Efficiency in Multiple Resident Clinics,” published in the March 2025 issue of Neurology Education by Breithaupt et al. 

The burden of electronic health record documentation affects physician satisfaction and care quality. Individually created note templates cause inefficiency and inconsistent note quality. 

Researchers conducted a prospective study to assess whether standardized, condition-specific note templates improved efficiency and quality in neurology residents’ outpatient notes. 

They conducted a randomized, nonblinded quality improvement study from July 2021 to June 2022 in 2 outpatient clinics. Neurology residents used standardized templates for epilepsy, headache, and Parkinson’s disease (PD), created with specialist input. They measured efficiency by noting time and character count and assessed quality by adherence to American Academy of Neurology metrics. A qualitative survey captured resident opinions. Linear regression models analyzed efficiency and quality. 

The results showed that 23 of 34 neurology residents participated. Template use increased from 36% in the first 6 months to 65% in the last 6 months. No significant difference in note-writing time was observed. The template group documented quality measures more consistently for driving status in epilepsy (92% vs 53%, P = 0.002), medication-related motor symptoms in PD (95% vs 50%, P = 0.01), and lifestyle changes in headache management (77% vs 21%, P = 0.005). Residents reported improved clinic workflows and more thorough patient inquiry. 

Investigators improved the documentation of quality metrics without increasing the time spent. Template use increased over time, suggesting potential for wider acceptance and further research on implementation and education. 

Source: neurology.org/doi/10.1212/NE9.0000000000200200